Placental abruption is a serious complication and emergency in late pregnancy, with a rapid onset and progression of disease that can endanger the life of the mother and baby if left untreated.
In mild cases, the symptoms of placental abruption are mainly vaginal bleeding. Severe placental abruption is characterised by sudden onset and persistent abdominal pain and/or low back pain.
Once the placental abruption is large and the fetus is deprived of oxygen in utero, it can lead to frequent fetal movements and even loss of fetal heartbeat.